Your friend calls you and asks how your week was and after you say the customary “It was good”, you go into a litany of issues you had from your kids, your spouse and your clients. They feel badly for you and help you feel better about yourself. The next week the pattern repeats itself, but this time it is over dinner. The following week you find yourself going for a hike with another friend and you download your issues from the prior day or week. This may not describe you but it may represent a friend of yours, perhaps one you have chosen to spend less time with.
I am pleasantly amazed at how frequently people appreciate a relationship, a friendship, a career or even an event more fully when they enter into the experience with a preconceived idea that proves to be untrue.
I recently had the pleasure of speaking with a woman who had just begun reading The Passion Test and with her permission I wanted to share her interesting and encouraging impressions.
“When I first read the title, I thought that I didn’t need the book because I was already living my passion. In the past few years I had really defined my role as a full-time writer, I love what I do and I am really good at it. It wasn’t until I started to drill down on my markers as part of the process in your book that I realized being a writer was just one of the five things I was passionate about, but it is the only title I had been using to define myself lately. I also thought the phrase, ‘When my life is ideal, I am….’ was a very important part of the process because it was not about thinking that when I have this or do that then I will be happy. Not only was this a great shift in my awareness, but the thought of setting intentions and giving attention to the other four areas of my life gave me goose bumps. How exciting it was to realize that I really can have all of those things. I can’t wait to keep going!”
Is it a pipedream to think that at my age that I can find a new passion and will be lead to it?
Answer:
Living a passionate life involves doing those things and being involved with those people that bring you joy and fulfillment. There is no age limit to becoming aware that you are probably already living some of your passions at some level. As for finding a new passion, you likely only need to recognize what you have already enjoyed doing and find a way to apply that to a new passion.
At the age of 75 and with Type 2 Diabetes and coronary artery disease, Otto took the Passion Test to help him set the right intentions for his passions. Prior to taking the test, Otto had spent a year and a half applying to return to China and teach English as he had done in the past. He was not having success in getting the positive response he was hoping for. Once he took the Passion Test and as one of his top five passions he wrote, “When my life is ideal I have a job in China in a desirable location.” Within a week of adding clarity and energy to what he really wanted and letting go of the belief that he was too old, he received and accepted an invitation to teach in Guilin, one of the most desirable areas of China.
Question: How can I focus on what I’m passionate about when my daily life is so full of other responsibilities?
Answer: Staying aligned with your passions does require focus. It also requires a conscious decision to make your passions a priority because when you are living your passions, you are the best you can be for yourself and for others.
The first key in our Seven Keys to Living Life Aligned with Passion is Commitment. Until you are committed, nothing will happen for you. There are many things and people who want your attention and your time. Keep your passions where you can see them and learn to say “no” lovingly.
Barbara, Sydney Australia, February 28, 2010 at 4:10 AM
| Reply I am a busy "older" mum and have taken a massive amount of time to get used to super-multitasking. I find if I do things in half hours (30 mins) at a time. I enjoy my day more and don't resent having so much of the mundane things to do in between my working life.
Don't give up! But give in now and again the rest will be good for you!
Question: How do I deal with and overcome the fears that create the obstacle towards living a passionate life?
Answer: That is a very good question and no doubt many people can relate to your concerns. The interesting thing about fear is that it becomes a bigger obstacle as we give it more attention. Our fear of failure is likely the most common and most powerful force that keeps us from making our dreams come true. When your focus and attention is on fear, you create those things you don’t want to happen. Out of fear you might not take any steps towards your goal and that will manifest what you did not want.
When I write out my Markers that are each connected to my five passions, how do I get over the fact that some are so wildly impossible that I have a hard time believing they will come true? I don’t want to set myself up for disappointment but if I don’t believe then I am not giving them the right attention.
Answer:
It sounds as though you have an underlying fear that you can’t achieve what you have written. It’s understandable. Many of us have lived within the confines of what we’ve been taught is “reasonable” or “achievable” that it’s scary to start to think about creating our ideal life.
Break your Markers down into small steps. Make each step one that you feel is within your ability to achieve. As each step is realized your confidence level will grow and in turn, what you believe you can create in your life will also grow.
I used to have an ideal life with regard to money, relationship, health, etc.Life threw me a curve ball and all of those things are gone.Where do I go from here?
Answer:
Everything in life is structured for your evolution.The laws of nature that govern every aspect of existence, including our daily lives, are designed to support you in experiencing deeper aspects of your own nature. When life throws you a curve ball that is a sign to go more deeply within. Contraction is always a signal to gain more clarity; it is a time to take it easy, nurture yourself, take care of yourself and allow the clarity to come to you.
Lorraine, NJ, February 11, 2010 at 1:19 PM
| Reply What I do know is this........ Finding happiness amidst all of life's curve balls is something I am keeping score at as I keep that ball up in the air.
Like today, after some 18 inches of snow and lots to take care of and create I sat fir a moment and found the joy of not having to be anywhere at a specific time. I found the gift in not having to go out in the dark at first dawn to heat up and brush the snow off of my car. I actually felt the delight tickle my senses and I got this all over good feeling.
Its all good.
Lorraine's lessons learned
What if my top five passions do not have anything to do with a career? I have found that I love to learn new things and I have many hobbies such as scuba diving and flying small planes but I would not want to do those things every day as a career.
Answer:
This is a great question and a common one as well. Many people will share with us their surprise that after identifying their passions, only a few or perhaps just one appears to be directly related to a career that they think can be monetized.
It doesn’t matter if your passions appear to have nothing to do with a career, they will always guide you as you look at options; always ask, “Will this decision help me be more connected to the things I care most about, or take me farther away from them?”
Pam, Hamilton, OH, February 11, 2010 at 2:48 PM
| Reply I've had this same problem! I have many hobbies and talents but don't see a career there. My current job allows plenty of time for the fun stuff but not enough money to afford much fun. Finding a new career that pays better but still allows fun time isn't as easy as it would seem. How can I narrow down my search to find the right career for me?
Next week Janet and I travel to Calgary to participate in Engage Today - Engaging Community, Changing the World. Janet will launch the Global Passion Initiative for Canada and speak along with the Dalai Lama, Sir Richard Branson, Stephen Covey, F.W. de Klerk and others.
The Global Passion Initiative is intended to focus attention on the primary role that passion plays, in individual lives, in organizational life and in the life of society. As we travel to countries around the world, our message is that we have gotten lost.
Claudia Jaquez, Hermosillo, Sonora Mexico, December 9, 2009 at 6:22 PM
| Reply hello s , I am Claudia Jaquez I am from Hermosillo, Sonora México … asisti to the conference distributed by Bet listens of the passion in my company List up Español where it is a pride to be part of her; is brilliant, amazing! that way enchants to me to feel the things, this to helped me much, I am in a situation where it needed to put my passions and what I really want for my until today are many things that really get passionate to me, my daughter, my family, my race, my work…. my friendly and coverall my LIFE thanks to compartrir the secret the world and thanks to help me yet…
with Claudia affection
you are awessomes!!!
LuAnn Buechler, Rochester, MN, September 28, 2009 at 10:25 AM
| Reply I am so excited about the global initiative. Good luck with your presentation with the Dalai Lama! We will be with you in spirit!
LuAnn & Ashley
This past week we were in Iceland where we launched "The Global Passion Initiative." On September 5 we introduced 250 Icelanders to the power of The Passion Test and by mid-day we had them up and dancing, smiling and hopeful. As you may know, Iceland came within a hairsbreadth of bankruptcy last fall, when its three largest banks had to be nationalized.
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